Shake It Out
by xthesebonesx
Summary: Set after 3x18- Stefan stumbles upon Bonnie before going in to save Damon, & he begins to realize just how much he hurt her. When the two begin to repair their friendship, will they be able to deny the inevitable sparks between them? One Shot.


A/N: Delena previews make me crackship Stefonnie.

**Shake It Out**

_"I am done with my graceless heart, so tonight I'm gonna cut it out, and then restart,_

_'Cause I like to keep my issues drawn; it's always darkest before the dawn"_

_-_Florence and the Machine

Stefan inhaled a deep breath, as he watched her; pressed up against the car, with her head in her hands, and her tears on a constant flow.

He had to go- he needed to be inside, saving Damon from the mess they'd gotten themselves into this week.

But he couldn't help himself, as he stopped and stared at this heartbreakingly beautiful girl, who'd lost her way- who'd finally lost _everything._

He knew how it felt. He knew all too well.

Her knees were pulled up to her chest, and she was shivering, as she sat down on the cold pavement, sobbing beneath the moonlight, with everything she had left inside of her.

_He was afraid to approach her._

After everything that she had been through, on account of him, he wasn't sure it was such a good idea. Hell, it was probably the worst thing he could do, considering who he was, and who she is- she'd devour him. She'd totally, and completely, rip him into pieces after she ripped him a new one.

As he slowly approached her, footsteps tapping against the expertly paved driveway of the massive mansion that belonged to none other than Klaus, himself, she looked up; her green eyes were full of sorrow, and her mocha flavored cheeks were stained with tears.

She immediately stood up, and wiped the back of her hand across her face, smearing her eyeliner along the way, and she cleared her throat.

"Bonnie-" he began, in a soft tone, and she held up an authoritative hand to stop him.

"Damon's inside," she mustered, in a low, husky tone. "It's bad. You have to help him," she breathed and Stefan nodded affirmatively. "I-I couldn't."

"I know," he replied, and Bonnie exhaled gently, as she stuffed her hands into her pockets, and began to walk away.

Stefan grabbed her forearm, stopping her in her tracks.

Her mint eyes met his emerald ones, and he swallowed hard.

"I'm sorry," he offered, in a honest tone, and she pursed her lips together, in an effort to fight her tears. "About this... about your mom... about everything."

Bonnie looked down at her forearm, as Stefan held her tightly in his grip, and she pressed her her eyes shut, for what felt like hours, though it was only a second. When she looked back up at him, his expression was hopelessly tragic.

_He was the tragic hero. She was broken heroine. What mirror images they seemed to be. _

Bonnie gently pulled herself away from his grip, and he studied her silently, taking in the moment between them; they hadn't had enough of these moments.

She cleared her throat, and backed away, as she watched the quiet desperation in his eyes, before she spoke again.

"Rebekah and Klaus are bleeding him dry- you need to go. Now," she informed, ignoring his apology; this was all business, it always had been.

"Thank you," he nodded quickly, as she turned around, and walked away briskly.

Shallow apologies from people Stefan only served to make her feel even emptier. He didn't care; she convinced herself that none of them did, so she'd be best off if she stopped caring as well. She needed to stop feeling in order to stop getting hurt.

_She had to turn it off._

Only she couldn't- she wasn't sure she'd ever really be able to, and that angered her, as the image of Stefan's regretful expression, and the pain in his voice resonated through her.

He cut her like a knife- he always had, even when they were friends.

There was just something about him that made you _feel- _made you awaken every fiber of emotion within yourself, even if you didn't want to; even if you didn't have to.

She didn't want to be the better person.

No, she wanted to revel in her so-called "bad decision," and sink further into misery because she could; because she would, eventually, even if she did the "right thing," right now.

When she reached her front door, she sighed shakily, as she opened the lock, and breathed evenly as she stepped in.

_Tonight, Stefan couldn't make her feel. Tonight, it was her own choice._

* * *

When Bonnie awoke the morning after, she was met with a text message from the doe-eyed doppelganger, herself, quickly informing her of her whereabouts.

_I hope you're okay. Please call me if you need anything. With Damon in Denver._

Bonnie sat up in her Queen size bed and gulped at the words on the screen, and scratched her head curiously.

_Why?_

When her phone buzzed moments later, she read Elena's reply immediately.

_We may still have a way to kill the Originals, if we can figure out which bloodline Stefan, Damon, and Caroline come from. We have to talk to Rose._

"Rose," Bonnie said profoundly, remembering the vampire that Damon was sleeping with, to fill the Elena void, before Jules brutally murdered her, via werewolf bite.

If Rose was dead, that could only mean they had one way of getting in touch with her...

_I'll tell Jeremy you say hello. He'll be grateful for what you did to save him._

Bonnie sighed at Elena's suggestion, before typing her own.

_Don't bother._

Bonnie placed the phone back on the night table, and curled herself beneath her big blue comforter, cozying up against her pillows, as always.

Just because she saved his life didn't mean she wanted to talk to him; that was a chapter that was better left closed, in her opinion, and she wanted to keep it that way.

She ran her fingers through her brown waves as she shut her eyes, preparing to sleep the day away, when her phone buzzed once more.

"Seriously, Elena?" she mumbled, as she grabbed it, focusing her eyes on the text on the screen.

Her eyes widened when she saw that the words weren't from Elena at all.

_Can we talk? _

Bonnie considered ignoring it, just like she had been doing to all of Stefan's text messages. But this time, she couldn't. Her fingers itched, as she typed a response, slowly feeling her blood rushing before she hit send.

_When?_

Her phone remained silent for the next few minutes, until he responded, and she inhaled a deep sigh at his answer.

_Tonight, at the boarding house. _

She really didn't want to go there, but she definitely wasn't inviting him into her house, so she agreed.

_Okay. _

Bonnie stretched once more, as she settled back into her blankets, but this time, she didn't close her eyes. Suddenly, she was anxious, and wide awake; breathing with regretful anticipation as she imagined just how this would go.

She hated the fact that she just couldn't leave this be.

_He was eternally good- he had a pure heart; the witches believed so, anyway, as they allowed his presence at the old house where they all burned to their deaths._

His heart was what saved him. His heart had even saved her, once.

So despite her feelings, and anger, and wariness towards him, and anything _fang _related, she owed it to him to talk- her mind rallied for her to give him one last shot.

And so she reluctantly would.

* * *

When the bell finally chimed, he realized this was it- either he and Bonnie would be able to work through his betrayal, and somehow forge a friendship, or even a truce; if not, she'd just hate him, forever.. He was willing to give her space, time, whatever she needed, to get over this, and just be okay with him, again.

He wasn't like Damon- he didn't embrace his hate, and he surely couldn't pretend like the strong disapproval of somebody who was so frequent in his life didn't matter, because it did; every word, every thought, and every look mattered, to him.

After not feeling for so long, he now had no choice but to care- about _everything. _

When Stefan turned the knob, and pulled the heavy mahogany door open, there she was; the petite girl with dazzling green eyes that nearly matched his own, and a blank expression that he wished to repaint with something more hopeful.

_If Bonnie were a canvas, he'd draw a smile on her cherry lips, and it'd stay there- forever._

This girl deserved to smile; she deserved everything in the world.

"Bonnie," he breathed gently, and she silently walked past him, arms crossed in a vicious lock, and her head held high, as it always had been.

He cleared his throat uncomfortably, and she finally spun around to meet him; her once blank expression turning into something more threatening.

"Is this going to take long?" she asked impatiently, and Stefan scratched his brown hair as he locked the door.

"Did you, uh, have plans to be somewhere?" he asked slowly.

"No," she replied sharply, and he ran his tongue over his teeth.

"Right, you just... don't wanna be _here,_" he realized, and she didn't respond.

The silence between them was deafening.

"Alright, well, I'll make this quick," he muttered, as he clasped his hands together, and she remained unbearably stiff. "What I said the last night... I meant it, okay? I shouldn't have done that to you- Damon and I- we shouldn't have even thought hurting you was an option," he confessed, and Bonnie sent him a flat expression.

"But it was. And you did. You-you made yourself crystal clear, Stefan," she said, and his brows furrowed. "And I get it- 'it's Elena;' you needed to save Elena. That's nothing new," she added, and Stefan sighed.

"I know, I had to do anything possible to save her," he said almost robotically, and Bonnie pursed her lips. "But it never should have been at yours and Abby's expense. That- that's where I went wrong. Instead of just thinking 'it's Elena,' I should have been thinking 'but it's Bonnie, too,'" he answered honestly.

Bonnie's jaw hardened, and she didn't say a word as Stefan walked in a bit more, minimizing the gap between them. His green eyes were desperate, and his voice was strong, but with a hint of a tremble to it.

"If there is anything I can do to gain your forgiveness-"

"There isn't," she cut in, and Stefan's face dropped. "I'm sorry Stefan, but... this all happened to _me; _it just... it all gets to be a bit much after a while," she said slowly, and he nodded in affirmation.

"I know, Bonnie, I understand-"

"I don't think you do, Stefan," she cut in, and he immediately grew silent. "You-You've had this lily white romance with my best friend; you have a brother- you have things, and people, who can make this easier for you. I-I don't have any of that. But for a while, I thought I had a friend- one with the same morals, and thoughts as me. And you let me down, Stefan. I expect this from Damon, given the way he feels about Elena- but I didn't expect it from you," she stated, and he felt his skin crawl with disgust.

"I never meant for this to happen," he said in a bare whisper, and she let out a bitter laugh.

"But it did. You did this to me, Stefan; one of the only friends you had left, and for what?" she asked boldly, feeling the anger swelling in her throat, and the hot tears in the back of her eyes that she expertly held back. "Elena's in Denver with _Damon; _she's gone, with your _brother. _You didn't do the dirty work, and still- she feels something for him. Was hurting the only friend you had left really worth it?"

She immediately regretted the words as they passed her lips, and she captured the look in his eyes at an all too perfectly tragic moment.

Stefan let out a nearly inaudible scoff, but he didn't say a word. He looked down at the ground, and Bonnie slowly felt her fist unclench as she watched him- soaking in reality that he had lost; he'd finally lost _everything._

She was being hard on him, she knew it; and maybe too hard, considering Abby deserted her again, and showed her own true colors of being an unfit mother, and none of that was his fault.

But she couldn't help but feel angry- almost repulsed by him- when she thought about how hard she had fought for him; how much she pulled for him, even when it went against every logical instinct in her body. Once she'd truly became his friend, she never gave up on him. She never thought that she would.

And standing here, watching his face burn with regret, was _killing _her.

Her nature to care about people who only hurt her was _destroying _her.

"That- it came out a lot worse then I meant it," she slowly said, and Stefan shook his head before finally looking up- all feeling lingering in his eyes.

"No, it came out exactly the way you meant it," he said softly. "Exactly the way that it should have been said, a really long time ago," Stefan added, and Bonnie stuffed her hands into her pockets, and she didn't say a thing. "I did all of this for them- for Damon, and Elena. I completely lost sight when it came to her, I always have. And it was all for nothing; absolutely nothing," he repeated, and her heart stung.

"Stefan," she said a bit more gently, feeling her previous anger float away as she gazed into his sincere eyes. "She's my best friend. And I know that she still loves you-"

"I don't debate that Bonnie- I know. I know that she loves me; and I'm grateful for that," he interrupted. "But I have to face reality, Bonnie, and this it it. No matter what I go through, none of that matters if she has feelings for somebody else."

Bonnie sighed, and Stefan slowly turned away, though her eyes continued to burn through him.

She may have hated what Stefan did to her, but after everything he'd been through, he didn't deserve this; he didn't deserve his love being thrown right back into his face.

Bonnie wanted to tell him to fight.

She wanted to tell him that even though she was still upset, she could talk to Elena; she could definitely stop her from making a decision that she'd regret- one that wouldn't be able to be undone once she did it, because she knew that it was easy to get caught up in superficial emotions and moments when you were vulnerable.

But everytime she tried to find the words, she couldn't. And she knew exactly why.

She couldn't lie to him; she couldn't tell him to have hope where there was none, and she couldn't talk him into fighting for something that he may have been better off without.

_Because that's what friends did- and whether she wanted to be, or not, she was his friend; the only one he had left. Klaus was destructive, and Caroline was distracted- he only had her._

"Thank you, Bonnie... for listening," he said meekly, and her stomach sunk as he neared the door to release her. "I don't expect anything from you, so just know that I appreciate you hearing me out."

Bonnie nodded numbly, and she slowly regained control of her body again, as she headed towards the exit, while he held the door open stiffly.

When she got to the doorway, she stopped, and faced him; taking in the excrutiating pain in his eyes, and the bitterness in his lopsided smile.

_If she believed she'd lost everything, she was staring at the only other person who'd lost it all, as well._

And so she made a bold decision. One she hoped she wouldn't regret.

"Do you mind if I stay?" Bonnie asked suddenly, and the look of confusion on Stefan's face was one for the history books. "I- don't wanna go home to an empty house, quite yet," she admitted, as the details of her depressing home life settled even deeper into her skin.

"Of course I don't mind, Bonnie," he said, and she re-entered the house, as he shut the door behind her hesitantly. "But why would you want to? I know there aren't necessarily feelings of goodwill between us."

Bonnie exhaled, and tightened the hug that she had around her own arms.

"Not necessarily hate, either."

When he smiled at that, she couldn't help but lay her armour down a bit. The sadness in his eyes slowly disappeared, and the vampire gestured simply to the couch, with the wave of a hand.

She slowly walked over, and took a seat, as Stefan followed by a few feet, behind her, and she felt her cell phone buzz.

_Rose was a big help. Should I call you with the scoop?_

Bonnie wanted nothing more than the death of the Originals- she was sure of it- after all of the havoc that they had caused in their lives.

But when she looked up into Stefan's glowing emerald eyes, she decided there was one thing that she wanted more, in this moment; she wanted to just be normal, just for a night.

She could pretend just this once, right?

She heard the hum of another phone buzzing, and she watched as Stefan pressed the ignore button on his brother's phone call- never taking his eyes away from hers.

Bonnie bit back her relief.

_I'll call you tomorrow, Elena. I've got plans with a friend, tonight._

She finally hit "send," and just for good measure, turned her cell phone off shortly after.

_She didn't want to speak to anybody, in Denver, anyway._

* * *

"You have to try this one," Stefan said, as he pointed to his drink, and Bonnie sneered, though he was shaking his head in approval. "_So _good."

Bonnie reluctantly grabbed his glass off of the smooth, marble, counter, and hesistantly placed it to her lips, and he scoffed.

"Don't be a wimp-you were this all-powerful witch, last I heard. Toughen up," he urged playfully.

Bonnie rolled her eyes in his direction, and her mouth upturned in disgust the minute the clear liquid hit her lips.

She slammed his glass back on the table, and glared at him.

"That is _disgusting._"

"What? It's gin and tonic!" he protested, as she ordered another margarita to wash the taste down.

"It tastes like cologne," she informed, and he laughed, before sipping the rest of the contents freely.

"Suit yourself."

Bonnie leaned her elbow against the counter of the bar and looked back at him, as he downed the rest of his glass, and ordered two more shots of whisky.

She soon learned that was his favorite drink.

After the night at the boarding house when they talked, things were better between the two; arguably, better than they had been, ever; even before the Abby vampire nonsense.

Bonnie forgave him- and though she did uneasily, she'd finally done it. It took a few days after his apology, but it happened, and she was just happy that was finally over.

Seeing Stefan smile and laugh this much was a feat she'd never accomplished; it was beyond interesting being the one that he had grown so fascinated by, too.

As for Damon and Elena? They were still working on a way to end Klaus and his family.

Though Bonnie would have loved to help, she was simply staying out of it. Dealing with her own life was her number one priority, for once, and finally- she was putting Elena's plight second.

_Her life had changed dramatically once she did. Things were just better._

Stefan was taking notes from the same book, as well, as he made it his business to stay out of Damon and Elena's business; it was as easy as that.

He felt guilty, for a while, suddenly jumping ship when it came to the Kill Klaus Operation, but the happier he felt being a puppet freed of his strings, the less he regretted it.

_He'd spent so much time hating himself, and seeking vengence on Klaus. It was finally time, in his eyes, to move on. It was also time to leave the fractured pieces of the shield he used to protect Elena in somebody elses hands._

Damon was the perfect candidate.

Stefan looked up from his shots at Bonnie, and he slid one in front of her. She sent him a stern look.

"Just one," he said, and she shook her head.

"Keep dreaming," she replied coolly, sipping her fruity mixed drink.

"I'll compel the bartender to serve you nothing but gin and tonic, no matter what drink you ask for, if you don't," he warned. "I know you're gorgeous and all, Bonnie, but a 'manly' drink won't kill you," he said and Bonnie bit her lip.

_Did he just call her gorgeous?_

Stefan smiled shyly, and cleared his throat.

_Yes, yes he did._

"If you mess with my drinks... I'll set the entire bar on fire," she said simply.

He smirked at that; Bonnie was genuinely amusing, to him. She always had been.

"Stefan-" she started, but he was already speaking into the ear of the bartender.

"Two shots for the lady," he ordered, and her eyes shot back at him narrowly.

Stefan ignored the displeasured look on her face, as he picked up a tiny glass, and held it in front of his lips.

"C'mon, Bonnie. Loosen up," he said, and her mouth dropped in disbelief.

"You, Stefan Salvatore, are telling _me _to loosen up? How does _that _even make sense?" she screeched, as she questioned his usually uptight demeanor, and he grinned.

Something about his smile was taking hold of her.

"It doesn't," he replied, and she bit her lip softly. "But isn't that the best part?"

Bonnie's eyebrow rose skeptically, but she finally relented, as she picked up a filled shot glass, and tipped her head in his direction.

"To not making sense," she toasted, and Stefan smiled purely.

"To not making sense."

* * *

_Drunk Stefan liked to go for walks on Wickery Bridge and lucky for him, Drunk Bonnie was always game for an adventure._

"So, this is it- the spot where you almost killed Elena," she marveled, as she looked over the water, and Stefan leaned on the ledge next to her.

"I wasn't going to kill Elena," he answered, and Bonnie turned to face him.

"Are you sure?"

There was a long silence between the two as his fingers gripped the wooden rail before him, and he let out a long sigh.

"The Klaus thing... it made me crazy," he finally admitted, as his gaze averted her eyes. "I would have done anything to feel like I was getting back at him for what he took away from me... _Anything._"

Bonnie remained quiet as she tossed a pebble into the water, and watched it ripple; the moon laying a perfect glow over the big, blue abyss beneath them.

"I used to feel the same way," she confessed. "About Damon, no less." Stefan finally turned to her, and she cleared her throat. "When my Grams died, I blamed the vampires. But I blamed him, in particular. When Caroline died with his blood in her system-again, I hated Damon, even though I was the one who told him to do it. And then Abby... I knew you were involved, but something about him actually _doing it_ killed me. Literally killed me."

Stefan shifted uncomfortably, and his jaw ticked.

"Bonnie, there's something you should know."

The brunette turned to face him, as he stuffed his hands into his pockets, and let out a deep breath.

"I-It was supposed to be me," he confessed, and Bonnie's eyebrow rose slightly. "I was supposed to kill Abby- not Damon. I just... I couldn't do it. I wasn't going to be able to deal with the guilt of it all, and my brother- he saved me."

Bonnie remained silent as she took his words in, and Stefan looked out onto the water again.

"If you hate me, again-"

"Stefan, I don't hate you," she cut in, and he breathed softly, almost in relief. "And I don't hate Damon, despite all of that stuff that I just said."

"But why? We're vampires, Bonnie. We've ruined your life, so much-"

"And so have people, Stefan, regular people... Like my mom, my dad, Jeremy, Elena- they're all _human, _and they've hurt me as well. And I could just be upset, or sad, and bitter about this, but I can't do that anymore. Pain is a tiring emotion to hold onto. And I think it's about time we both let ours go."

Stefan didn't say a word, as he let Bonnie's advice soak in. Her simple words infiltrated his pores, and awakened a century old concept in his mind- _the concept of letting go._

"It's always darkest before the dawn," Bonnie said, and Stefan nodded at that.

_Things always had to be bad, and inevitably get worse, before they could be healed. And that was exactly how he could describe everything in his life; his blood addiction, his relationship with Damon, his feelings for Elena, and now, his friendship with Bonnie._

"You're wise," he said, and Bonnie laughed, as she shrugged.

"I'm a witch, comes with the territory."

Stefan grinned at that, and he saw something in her eyes that he hadn't yet seen before, and it amazed him; he saw hope.

They remained silent, staring at one each other for a minute, before Drunk Stefan took over, once more.

"I have an idea," he said, and Bonnie watched in absolute shock as he began unbuttoning his dress shirt, and slipping out of his shoes.

"Uh, Stefan-"

"Let's jump in," he said, nodding at the water beneath the bridge, and her eyes widened.

"What? Are you crazy? I-I am _not _doing that-"

"Why not? We said we were letting go our pain, starting anew. It'll be like our very own spiritual rebirth" he smiled, and she scoffed.

"Stefan, you're not even religious."

"Neither are you. But we do have faith in something shared," he stated, and she furrowed her brows together as she awaited his answer. "Each other. We have faith in each other."

"When did you get so _ballsy_?" she asked incredulously, and he shrugged.

"When did _you _get so passive, Bonnie? Where's the fire in your eyes? The spunky girl I first met when I came back to Mystic Falls is dying to get out."

Bonnie opened her mouth to argue, but Stefan was already in his boxers and climbing up onto the ledge, preparing to dive in. He gazed back at her, and extended his hand, hopefully.

For a guy who seemed so shy and mysterious when she first met him, he sure had no qualms about stripping down on a publically owned bridge.

"To letting it all go?" he asked, purely.

Bonnie's eyes scanned over his toned arms, and she shivered when she looked at his smile- his smile was melting her inhibitions.

_Fuck it._

Bonnie looked around, and she saw no cars in sight. It was now or never.

She hesitantly stripped off her blue sweater, revealing her teal bra, and kicked off her flats quietly, before unbuttoning her jeans slowly.

If any nuns or responsible parents had just so happened to be driving past in this very moment, she'd be red with embarrassment.

Good thing nuns and responsible parents were just a thing of folklore and legend in a place like Mystic Falls.

She let out a deep sigh, and Stefan wiggled his fingers until she finally took his hand into her own, and he pulled her up, next to him.

She realized she was trembling, and not from the cold- but because of _him._

_This was exactly what she was afraid; the touching, the feeling, the getting too close to her best friend's ex-boyfriend, because she was positive it wouldn't end well._

Pent-up sexual tension with vampires never did.

Stefan's clear voice broke through her thoughts.

"On three," he instructed, and Bonnie squeezed her eyes shut, as he began the countdown.

"One," he started, and she let out a groan that made him laugh wholeheartedly. "Two," he added gingerly, and Bonnie gripped even tighter. "Three," Stefan said as he ran his thumb over hers, and she exhaled dazedly.

The next thing she knew, her body was hitting the mass of water, as it enveloped her; the cold piercing right through her, before Stefan wrapped her tightly in his embrace, beneath the surface.

She couldn't make out a thing but his emerald green eyes.

When their heads finally popped up, she was laughing, as was he, as they floated in the water, beside one another.

"This was a dumb idea," she said, and Stefan laughed as he wiped the water out of his eyes.

"Yeah, it was. But a fun one."

Bonnie turned to face him to scold him, but she stopped, when Stefan's eyes met hers.

She couldn't quite pinpoint what happened in that moment, but something clicked- it clicked that they understood each other, much better than anyone else did.

_He was getting to her, just like she knew he would._

* * *

"I'm not jealous or upset that you and Stefan are hanging out," Elena informed, and Bonnie's eyes met hers.

She'd decided that it'd be in her best interest to let Elena know that she was hanging out with the vampire, one day, when she visited her house. Hearing that type of thing from somebody else probably wouldn't end well.

"So, you don't think it's weird? Your best friend, your ex-boyfriend-"

"I know, Bonnie. I know that you two are great friends. And I know that's all it'll ever be."

At that, Bonnie felt her blood involuntarily boil.

Sure, she and Stefan were "just friends," but did Elena pointing out that that's all it would ever be really offend her so much?

It did. For reasons she didn't know; for reasons she'd rather leave unexplained.

"I-I gotta go, Elena," Bonnie said, sharply closing her grimoire, and standing up from her seat at the kitchen table.

"But what about Ric's stake, Bon? I really need your help to find it," Elena urged, and Bonnie slung her backpack over her shoulder, in one swooping motion.

"It'll turn up, eventually," Bonnie said, and Elena looked unconvinced. "Hopefully we don't find it in Damon's chest... I know you two are _really _close," Bonnie quipped in a slick tone, and Elena frowned. "Goodbye, Elena."

When Bonnie walked out the door, she immediately exhaled a breath she'd been holding in, and pulled out her cell phone to text Stefan.

She'd grown so accustomed to talking to him or being with him most times during the day- and right now, she'd rather be in his company than anyone elses.

_I'm angry, need stress management. Jog, tonight? _

She waited impatiently for her phone to buzz, and she nearly dropped it when it vibrated in her hands, with his response.

_Only if you can keep up._

She instantly smiled at that, and soon enough, Elena's arrogant words were nothing other than a distant memory.

_Speak for yourself._

* * *

"Where are you going, all snazzy- in your Nike's with a hoodie on?" Damon asked, as Stefan entered the living room, quickly tying his laces before he stood up.

"If you must know, I'm going for a run. With Bonnie," he informed, and Damon's brow rose as he sipped his bourbon. "And before you say anything stupid about it- just, don't."

Damon held his palms up in defense.

"Wasn't gonna say a word, brother," he replied, as he cocked his head. "Though I will tell you this," Damon added, his voice becoming a bit more serious. "Elena... asked me what the... situation was between you guys."

Stefan's eyes widened, and Damon suddenly looked uncomfortable.

"Why didn't she ask me, herself?"

"Because... you're better at lying than I am? I don't know," Damon said, and Stefan remained still. "Listen- I know you don't believe me, but it's awkward for me, too. This entire thing. And I'm... sorry, brother."

Stefan inhaled deeply before he looked at his brother. Damon's normally joyous expression was filled with guilt, and regret- he almost couldn't believe his eyes.

"Don't... feel guilty, Damon," he forced out, though the words burned all the way through, and Damon's brows rose in surprise. "I loved her, too."

Damon remained quiet for a moment for he finally commented.

_"Loved?" he asked._

Stefan shyly stuffed his hands into his pockets, and shrugged.

"I'll always care about Elena, Damon. I just- I care about other people, too."

Damon smiled cockily.

"You mean, Bonnie."

"Bonnie, yeah," Stefan admitted. "And you, too."

Damon's cocky smile dropped, instantly was replaced by a genuine one.

"Have fun on your date, Stefan."

The vampire only smiled in return, as he neared the door.

"Goodnight, Damon."

* * *

"Do you mind jogging at a normal pace? Not 'super-fast-I'm-a-vampire' mode?" Bonnie growled, as her sneakers moved through the leaves on the forest floor, and Stefan scoffed.

"What's the matter, Bonnie? Can't use your powers to keep up with me?" he asked, in his ripper voice, and she couldn't help but send him a stonehard glare, before she slapped his arm, and advanced in front of him.

"No, because that would be cheating, Stefan," she huffed, as they went around a tree. Kind of like you using your vampire speed. _Cheater._"

Stefan grinned in response, but his pace dramatically slowed down. Bonnie finally dialed it down too, and she came to a stop, using the rare moment to catch her breath, and tighten her bun that flopped atop her head.

Stefan pulled his sweatshirt off, exposing his well-defined arms, and broad shoulders. Bonnie cleared her throat as she looked away, and stretched her arms.

She'd seen him nearly naked two weeks ago at Wickery Bridge, and the memories of his perfectly defines body haunted her, each and every moment they were alone.

_Which was all the time._

"One more mile?" Stefan asked, glancing at his watch. "I don't want to keep you out too late," he added, and Bonnie stood up straighter.

"You make it sound like hanging out with you is such a burden for me," she noted, and he shrugged.

"I'm just in the way when it comes to everybody else, Bonnie. Is it so hard to believe I'd think that?"

Bonnie frowned at that, and neared him, as he looked down at the dark ground.

"I enjoy hanging out with you," she confessed, and he looked up into her eyes quietly. "And it doesn't have a thing to do with anybody else- especially Elena."

She placed her palms on his arms, and fought to ignore the electricity running through her veins, as they skin touched.

Bonnie knew he felt it too, just by the look on his face.

And he understood- he knew perfectly well that she was telling the truth. Sometimes, he just needed to hear it.

"In that case," he began, "How about I prove who will forever be the champion runner between us two?" Stefan smiled, and before Bonnie could reply, he felt something.

Bonnie extended her palm testingly to the air, and she began to feel it too.

Stefan looked up at the night time sky, and within seconds, slow droplets of water began to fall onto his skin, and he immediately gazed at Bonnie suspiciously.

"Really? Rain? You don't want me to beat you _that _badly, huh?" he joked, and Bonnie's mouth dropped.

"You think I did this?"

"I wouldn't put it past you. _Cheater._"

Bonnie shook her head with a laugh, as she pulled her hood up, and continued looking at him. Her eyes matched the vibrant scenery around them; he quickly became enamored by them.

"I didn't do this," she noted. "But I can tell that it's going to pick up very soon, and we should probably get home."

The rain began to pick up almost as soon as she said it, Stefan laughed at the irony.

"Let's go," he urged, extending a hand to hers, and she easily grabbed it, as they began to run through the woods as quickly as they could to get out of the storm.

Bonnie's footing slipped in the mud, but Stefan immediately grabbed her, protectively, and they continued running; darting through trees, and leaping over streams, as they made their way back to civilization.

"This is insane," Bonnie shrieked, and Stefan laughed as he gripped her hand tighter, feeling his dark hair sticking to his forehead, and his sleeveless shirt clinging to his sopping wet skin.

"It's your element," he said, as he turned to face her. "Embrace it."

Bonnie felt her cheeks widen, and form into a grin, and she squealed in shock when she was suddenly in Stefan's arms; her chest pressed against his, as he lifted her easily, and cradled her dangling legs.

He stopped running, for a moment, to look at her, and she could barely catch her breath as the cold water trickled down from the sky, and he carried her in a warm embrace.

"Do you trust me?" he asked, and Bonnie stared into his fiery green eyes.

The way the water pooled above his lip, and the tenderness of his gaze nearly set her heart on fire. She instinctively held onto him tighter, and he smiled at that.

"Leave this up to me," he whispered, and Bonnie nodded.

Within a matter of seconds, she felt them zipping through the forest at vampire speed- so fast, the trees, the ground, and the moon became nothing but a blur.

It was quickly becoming harder and harder to pretend that she wasn't feeling what she was feeling.

"Stefan, stop," she said breathlessly, and the vampire immediately halted, as he now stood in the middle of the storm, still holding the girl tightly in her arms.

"Is everything okay? Was I running too fast?" he asked, and Bonnie quickly shook her head 'no,' as she stared deeply into his eyes.

"You're fine- _everything _is fine," Bonnie reiterated, and a curious expression donned his face. "You just- you told me to embrace it; embrace my element," she said softly, and a slow smile lit up Stefan's face, as he slowly released his grip, and she set her feet on the ground.

Stefan watched quietly as Bonnie turned on her heel, and outstretched her arms to feel the water pouring down from the sky. She spun around slowly, as she was astounded by all of the colors, sights, and sounds that surrounded her, in the wake of the storm.

She turned back around to look at him, and she was smiling bigger than he'd had ever seen her.

"Beautiful," he said softly, and she nodded.

"It is," she breathed. "It really is."

Stefan ran his tongue over his lips, as he neared her.

"I was talking about you."

Bonnie opened her mouth to respond but she couldn't, for Stefan was standing right in front of her, with his hands cupping her wet cheeks, in the most gracious of ways.

Stefan stroked her cheeks, slowly, with his thumbs, as he attempted to wipe away the water, though it continuously formed, thanks to the rain.

His hands ran down to her neck, and she easily wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders, as she shut her eyes.

When she felt Stefan's forehead pressed against hers, she re-opened them, to gaze at him, once more. Her heart nearly leapt out of her chest, and all she could think about was the fact that she had never felt this way before, in all of her entire life.

Her stomach fluttered, as his finger grazed against her lip, and without another word, his mouth was pressed to hers.

Bonnie felt something inside of her ignite as he kissed her, longingly, sopping up the water that was so prevalent on her lips, while moving his tongue against hers strongly.

With her back pushed against the trunk of a tree, and her arms entangled in his, she felt free.

_She finally felt free._

As his lips moved from her mouth, they began to pepper the surfaces along her neck, collarbone, behind her ear, and along her jaw.

"But what about Elena?" she asked tightly. "She's my best friend-"

"And you're mine, Bonnie," he cut her off, and she smiled softly. "You're mine _forever._"

Stefan breathed deeply when her fingers crawled beneath his shirt, running along his abdomen in the most subtle, but enticing, of ways.

"Let's go," he said in a low voice, as his lips kissed her ear, and she shivered at his direct order, before nodding in agreement.

_It was definitely time to go._

They barely got through the front door of the boarding before Stefan's shirt was being pulled over his head, and his hoodie was being dropped to the ground.

Stefan kicked the door shut behind them, and he contemplated calling Damon, to see if he were home.

_He quickly decided he didn't care._

The urgency in Bonnie's kiss was to die for, and if Damon got stuck hearing something he didn't want to? Well, he'd consider it payback for all the times he got to listen to Andie, Rose, and Rebekah.

"How do I always get stuck in these situations with you? They always end in my clothes being soaked," Bonnie asked between kisses, and only smiled as he pushed her against the hallway wall, and placed his lips to hers softly.

He noticed she was trembling, and he quickly ran his hands over her arms.

"Are you cold? I can make you a warm cup of coffee," he suggested, and Bonnie grinned at his sweetness.

"Or... you can just warm me up," she suggested in a low whisper, and Stefan's soft expression immediately became one filled with intrigue.

His fingers ran along her hip, and he felt the dripping water of her shirt against his hands.

"You need to change," he said, glancing at her. "Follow me."

Bonnie followed him cautiously up the steps towards his bedroom, and she realized her heart was racing- she'd never been in Stefan's room. She didn't know why the idea terrified her, so much, but it did.

When he swung the door open, she let out a soft sigh. It was big, and furnished with all the things she thought he would have; like a bookcase, filled with literature, and vintage records lying on his desk, scattered amongst his photos.

"I'm a mess, I'm sorry," he said apologetically, as he reached into his drawer to grab her a change of clothes, and she shrugged.

"Pretty okay, by guy standards," she commented, and he smiled, pulling out a flannel button up, and a pair of shorts for her.

Stefan turned back around to face her, and noticed she was sifting through her damp hair with her fingertips. Bonnie immediately stopped when she caught him staring at her, and he cleared his throat.

"This is probably the part where I leave," he said, and Bonnie smiled gently when he neared her slowly, and handed the clothes over.

She immediately grabbed his hand, and shook her head.

"No," she said softly. "This is the part where you stay."

The look of admiration on his face as he studied her with no makeup, messy hair, and slowly drying skin was mindblowing.

Bonnie reveled in the feeling- the feeling of not so much feeling exposed, but instead feeling _empowered._

She dropped the clothes he handed her on the ground, and Stefan urgently picked her up around the waist, and walked her over to his bed, laying her down with as much care as he could.

He stripped her hoodie off, as he pulled it over her head, and Bonnie moaned when he tore through her t-shirt, revealing her smooth chest, perfectly situated within her black bra. His mouth lowered over her body, and Stefan's lips planted eager kisses along her torso, and Bonnie's fingers ran through his damp hair, as he licked his way up her ribcage, and grazed his teeth along her stomach.

She let out a sigh, and easily wrapped her arms around his shoulders, when he climbed over her. Stefan kissed her passionately, again, and Bonnie melted against the bed, and into his embrace.

_How Elena could give up someone so loving was beyond her._

Stefan rolled onto his back, pulling Bonnie on top of him, and she moaned when he captured her face, and his lips met hers in another heart pounding lock.

The kissing felt as though it lasted _hours, _as they habitually turned over each other, back and forth, fighting for power in what was a steadily equalized situation.

Stefan marveled at the strength, power, and durabilty of the tiny witch; the fact that she could keep up with him physically delighted him; sometimes, he didn't want to be so gentle.

He got his wish when Bonnie pulled away at his pants, and the rest soon became a blur, as he found himself gripping her at the hips, with her legs tightly wound around his waist.

Her nails sunk into his skin, and she gasped when she felt the sharpened edge of his teeth dancing along her throat.

She looked into his normally emerald eyes, and traced her fingers along the red veins that appeared above his cheekbones. Stefan shut his eyes, and Bonnie pressed a palm against his face, as she felt the buzzing energy floating between them.

"Do you feel that?" she asked softly, and Stefan nodded as he opened his eyes, and looked to her in amazement.

"What is that?" he questioned, and Bonnie smiled.

"Witches have the power to bring life to things- everything that we touch, we can feel everything that was once there," she said.

Stefan took Bonnie's hands into his own, and gripped them tightly.

"Do you still feel it?" he asked, in a hopeful tone, and Bonnie nodded softly.

"I feel life running through your veins, Stefan. I feel everything you feel."

Stefan's smile enlightened her, as sparks ran through his eyes, and his skin warmed, as he stayed pressed against her.

"The connection between a vampire and a witch- I can't say I've felt anything like it," he whispered, as Bonnie's fingers drummed against his neck.

"Thank goodness you met me, then," she said, and he laughed as he buried her in kisses, on each and every part of her body, while the feeling of rebirth radiated through him.

They laughed, they talked, they kissed, and they slept, holding one another as tightly as they possibly could.

When Bonnie awoke the next morning, enclosed in Stefan's arms, she smiled. She stared at her best friend silently, before placing a warm kiss on his lips.

Stefan only reacted by smiling, and pulling her even more into his protection. Bonnie settled into her sleep, once more, as she placed a hand over his chest, and smiled at the revelation, before drifting away into her dreams that no longer trumped over her reality.

_She could have sworn she felt his heart beat, right there._

**A/N: Reviews are love. :)**


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